Michigan native Jordyn Ryfiak, a first-year assistant for the NCAA Division III UC Santa Cruz women’s soccer team, wanted to get more involved in area soccer.

She’ll have her hands full after inheriting the county’s top girls program. Ryfiak was announced as Aptos High’s coach on Wednesday.

Jordyn Ryfiak, who played at Valparaiso University and Fresno Pacific University, was named head coach of Aptos High’s girls soccer team Wednesday. (Matlyn Morris – Fresno Pacific athletics)

Ryfiak, 24, replaces Jessica Perkin at the helm. Perkin, expecting the arrival of her third child in November, resigned after eight successful seasons at the helm. Her Mariners won the past five Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championships — posting a 41-game unbeaten streak during that span — and never finished lower than second during her watch. She compiled a 105-28-25 overall record, including 75-10-11 in league play. Her teams advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs eight times and qualified for the prestigious Open Division the past three years.

“No pressure,” joked Ryfiak, who also plans to continue coaching at UCSC.

“I’m pretty excited,” added Ryfiak, who has previously coached at Fresno Pacific University, Parlier High, near Fresno, and led several club teams. “It’s definitely different being in charge of an entire program.”

Ryfiak was hired by Aptos last week. UCSC (5-12-1) saw its season come to a close on Thursday.

The Mariners begin tryouts Monday.

“We are very excited to welcome Jordyn to Aptos High,” Mariners athletic director Mark Dorfman said. “She has played successfully at the highest level, and has a great breadth of coaching experience. We are confident that she’ll carry forward the successful legacy of coach Perkin, and soon establish her own legacy of excellence.”

Ryfiak has already met with prospective players and Perkin.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Jordyn last week,” Perkin said. “I was very impressed by her and believe the program is in great hands.”

The new coach also inherits Aptos’ grueling schedule, which includes games against Saint Francis of Mountain View, Los Gatos and Presentation.

“It’s still pretty hefty,” Ryfiak said. “We definitely still want to win league and keep that kinda tradition and continue to grow as a program. I don’t want it set back at all with me taking over. I want us to have continuity.”

Jordyn Ryfiak, who played at Valparaiso University and Fresno Pacific University, was named head coach of Aptos High’s girls soccer team Wednesday. (Matlyn Morris – Fresno Pacific athletics)

The Mariners — ranked No. 178 in the state by MaxPreps.com — went 13-4-2 last season, 11-1 in league. They graduated seven seniors from the team, including Monserrat Hernandez-Marquez to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. But they are slated to return 11 players, including senior captains Bella McDaniel and Caroline Miller.

“I hope to bring knowledge from my playing career,” Ryfiak said.

Ryfiak was a three-year starter at Rockford High in Rockford, Michigan. At Valparaiso University in Indiana, she played forward and posted four goals and two assists while starting 21 of 35 games across three seasons. During her junior season in 2014, Valpo (14-2-4, 8-0) won the Horizon League title and advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament, falling in the first round to Notre Dame.

She transferred to Fresno Pacific University and played as a fifth-year senior in 2017, scoring a pair of goals in 15 appearances for the Firebirds (9-6-3, 9-2-2).